


Right Side of Rock Bottom

by atomicblondie



Category: Closer (2004)
Genre: F/M, Two Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 17:57:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18722086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atomicblondie/pseuds/atomicblondie
Summary: Larry goes on another work trip to New York and runs into a familiar face.





	Right Side of Rock Bottom

Larry sat at the hotel bar nursing his bourbon, he’d never much liked places like this. Too clean, practically medical. It felt like work. It was no wonder Anna had picked it for him, which was rich. He fucks one whore, one night, and it’s constant monitoring. She screws around for a year with cunty Cupid Dan, and if he tried to check up on her it’d be a verbal slaughter in his direction. He didn’t need to though, Dan had been out of the picture for a while. At least, out of hers. Larry had seen him a handful of times in the last two years, the drippy fuck wouldn’t stop whining. He couldn’t confide in Anna like he used to, not about this anyway, not without putting dangerous thoughts back in her head. They were giving it a real go anyway, so why jeopardise?

Larry couldn’t take the hotel anymore, this was New York, city that never sleeps. Why was he wasting it? The dermatologist trawled the streets for some time, already feeling the buzz, looking for somewhere suitably scuzzy with enough character to be redeeming. Six blocks over he found one, there was bad jukebox music blurring through the door which hit him in the face when it opened.

Inside it was half full of drunks, someone over-chalking a pool cue, someone trying to start a sing song to Piano Man, girls flirting in booths with men who had no intention to call next week. The girls would cry about it on Twitter, a bland post about how men were terrible. He would brag. People were predictable. It got boring.

Larry went to the bar and ordered another bourbon, something he’d taken to the last couple years, and leaned his elbow on the counter as he took in the local talent. Purely observation, of course. He was ever loyal, as was his dear wife.

They were pretty, but nothing exceptional. Exceptional seemed to have run out on him.

“Manhattan.”

That  _voice_ … Larry stood straight and turned to see the back of a slender brunette. “Alice?” She didn’t respond, didn’t even flinch. “Alice.” He repeated, sterner, demanding a response. She continued looking at the beermat.

“Drink’s ready Jane.” She took the glass in her hands and turned around to face him. She was dainty but solid, seemingly unfaltered by his appearance in her town. Larry didn’t believe it for a second.

“I told you my name is Jane.”

“We both know that isn’t true.”

“Why would I lie?”

“You’ve lied either way.”

“It’s Jane.”

“Does Dan know that?”

“What brings you to New York?”

Larry smiled, crooked and pleased. At least she was constant, still defending with her questions. Other than that, not so much. Her hair had grown, and it was lighter. She looked softer, older, knowing.

“Conference.” He didn’t bother forcing anything from her, it was too early, and he wasn’t paying this time.

“Interesting.” It dripped with sarcasm,  _that’s my girl_. “Are you still with the witch?”

“Anna? Of course.” Alice-  _Jane_  rolled her eyes and held back a laugh. “It’s going well.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Let me buy you a drink.”

“I’ve got a drink.” She murmured over the glass she brought to her lips, lashes fluttering. Same old girl.

“Your next drink.” Larry offered again, and she didn’t answer, merely faced the bar and sipped at her glass. He followed suit and they drank in silence. When she was nearing the end of her drink he waved the bartender and ordered another set. Jane gave a protesting look but she still accepted it when it was put on the table.

“Still stripping?”

“Yeah. And?”

“And nothing.” Larry smirked down at her, downing his drink in one go.

“Careful, people won’t hesitate to take advantage of you.” She warned which he smiled at, was she  _worried_  for him?

“Do you want to?” He teased, leaning over her slightly.

“Is her art still lies?”  _Sharp._

“Why did you tell me your real name?”

“Drink up dermatologist.”

Things went silent again, for longer this time. Just drinks. He wanted to talk but he couldn’t get anything out of her,  _just like Anna. What did a guy have to do to get a straight answer, some openness and intimacy?_

“Come back to my hotel.”

“You’re married.”

“Not for that.”

Jane shook her head, crossed her arms. “I should go.”

“Come with me.” A shake of her head. “Come back with me.”

“I-“

“I need someone to talk to.” It threw her, his honesty always had, it was something. She stopped rearranging her bags and sighed.

“I’m not staying the night.”

“Wouldn’t expect you to.” He slapped some bills on the bar and finished his drink, walking straight out the door. Jane followed behind, catching up when he stumbled on the kerb. Larry put his hand on her lower back when she got close, for balance, and maybe because he wanted to touch someone who didn’t seem as repulsed by him as his wife was.

The hoteliers didn’t know that he was married, or their past, but Larry felt entirely judged by everyone they passed to the elevator. At least when they reached his room, it was only her and that seemed like less.

“Drink?”

“Vodka.”

“Can’t do that. She’d know. I don’t drink vodka.”

“She monitors you.” Jane seemed amused, “What a trusting marriage you have.”

“Isn’t it just.” Larry declared loudly, arms outstretched in a faux proud gesture. Jane smirked as he pulled out mini whiskeys from the mini fridge. They clinked tiny bottles, she sipped hers, his was gone in a second.

“Problems at home?” Jane teased, her lips failing to suppress her smile. It was still pretty.

“You know she doesn’t look at me when we have sex. She thinks of him.” He spat out the last word.

“He’s not worth thinking about.”

“He came back to you.”

“I left.”

“After pining for him. Why?”

“I didn’t love him anymore.”

“Why?”

“He couldn’t get over you. He hit me.”

“Fucker. Ironic though, Anna’s scared I’ll hit her, but she dreams of drippy Dan with the heavy hand.” She rolled her eyes and turned away, separating them again. She’d gone a long time without any of this, and now the sting was coming back.

“This hotel is terrible.”

“Anna chose it. Less risk.” Jane glanced over her shoulder, raising a brow in question. “Last time I was here I stayed at the Paranoid Hotel.”

“They’re all whores.”

“So I learned.”

“When?”

“Days before she told me.”

Jane nodded and walked towards the window, pulling aside the curtain to stare out at the city. “Why did you do it?”

“The whores? I was drunk, lonely, I-“

“Why did you tell him?”

“Does it matter?”

“Why?”

“To fuck with him. It’s how I split him and Anna. I didn’t want him happy.”

“He wouldn’t have been.”

She sounded distant, she’d gone back in time.

“Oh I don’t doubt it. He loves to be miserable. Anna does too. They’re perfect for each other.”

“You don’t though.”

“No.”

“You want to be happy.”

“Of course.”

“And yet, you stay with  _her_.”

“I won.”

“A terrible prize.”

“I still won.”

Jane scoffed and stormed away from the window, grabbing her bag from the desk and heading to the door.

“Alice-  _Jane_ , stay.”

“Why?” She froze at the door, staring at him expectantly. “You’ve nothing to say, you’re using me again. More revenge.”

“You don’t want to get back at her?”

“I’m not sinking to her level.”

“I can’t stand it.”

“You made your bed.” And with that, she was out the door.

**Author's Note:**

> There are not enough for this film, it's one of my favourites and I absolutely loved writing these two.


End file.
